Snap-on surgical clip cartridge

Abstract

A surgical clip cartridge, assembly, and method are provided for the storage, delivery, and loading of clips, such as those used in a surgical ligating process. The surgical clip cartridge includes a base portion extending in a longitudinal direction, the base portion having a bottom surface and defining a mounting groove for attaching the base portion onto a surgical instrument shaft. The base portion further includes a plurality of dividers extending from the base portion in a direction opposite of the bottom surface, and the plurality of dividers may be used to retain individual surgical clips therebetween for subsequent retrieval and loading onto a clip applier. The attachment of the surgical clip cartridge to the surgical instrument shaft enables the surgical clip cartridge to be deployed intracorporeally for use in surgical operations requiring applications of multiple surgical clips.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of applying a surgical clip to a tissue, the method comprising:
 releasably attaching a cartridge containing a surgical clip to a shaft of an instrument;   inserting a clip applier into a body cavity;   loading the clip applier with the surgical clip from the cartridge while within the body cavity; and   applying the surgical clip to the tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the releasably attaching the cartridge includes snapping the shaft into a mounting groove of the cartridge. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mounting groove comprises a concave surface extending around a longitudinal axis of the shaft when attached. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the concave surface extends greater than or equal to 180° around the longitudinal axis of the shaft when attached. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mounting groove comprises a radius less than or equal to an outer radius of the shaft to provide an annular fit when the cartridge is attached to the shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is attached to the shaft with at least one docking portion on a base portion of the cartridge. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one docking portion includes a first docking portion on a proximal end of the base portion and a second docking portion on a distal end of the base portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one docking portion extends continuously from a proximal end of the base portion to a distal end of the base portion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is attached to the shaft with one or more of a frictional material, knurling, notches, and protrusions to prevent axial and/or rotational displacement. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inserting the instrument into the body cavity through a first opening;   passing the instrument from inside the body cavity to an external environment outside of the body cavity through a second opening, wherein the cartridge is attached to the instrument in the external environment; and   passing the instrument and the surgical cartridge from the external environment into the body cavity through the second opening.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first opening is smaller than the second opening, and the second opening is formed with an access port. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 passing the instrument from inside the body cavity to the external environment through the second opening;   removing the cartridge from the shaft in the external environment;   passing the instrument from the external environment into the body cavity through the second opening; and   removing the shaft from the body cavity through the first opening.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge contains a plurality of the surgical clips separated by a plurality of dividers.